Jan McNulty Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty arrived at the Lowry tonight after its world premiere in Plymouth last week. It is described as a Gothic Romance and Lez Brotherston's sets and costumes are lavishly gothic and utterly fabulous and really set the scene. Our Sleeping Beauty is born in 1890 (the prologue) and comes of age (and is sent to sleep ) in 1911. The reawakening takes place in 2011. I don't want to ruin everyone's voyage of discovery by disclosing that "the butler did it" but I will say that the opening scenes with the baby Aurora are just brilliant. There are six fairies - 3 men and 3 women. Lilac is Count Lilac. Carabosse is only in the prologue and the dark fairy role is then taken over by her son Caradoc (played by the same dancer). I just LOVED the fairy costumes. The solos for the six fairies gave a tantalising hint of the Petipa choreography we all know and love - especially the 5th and 6th variations. There isn't a rose adagio but there is a lovely duet for Aurora and a gardener to that music. The "pricking of the thumb" is achieved by a rose, which makes perfect sense. There are several twists to the standard story which I won't reveal except to say that it all ends happily! Matthew Bourne certainly knows how to put a show together and on first viewing this has become one of my favourites! It has similarly sly references to royalty as those contained in Swan Lake and there are some fun scenes at Aurora's party (which takes the form of a garden party with tennis). I felt a degree of sympathy with Caradoc which I do not usually feel for Carabosse in more conventional productions. Tonight we saw Hannah Vassallo as Aurora, Dominic North as Leo, Chrisopher Marney as Count Lilac and Ben Bunce as Carabosse/Caradoc. Both Ben Bunce and Christopher Marney had enormous stage presence and really seemed to be manipulating the action. Hannah Vassallo and Dominic North were sublime in their roles. What more can I say - I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted November 14, 2012 Author Share Posted November 14, 2012 Mathew Bourne has just been on the BBC's Breakfast News, talking about Sleeping Beauty. Some extracts from Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake and Nutcracker were shown too. He came on at 0857, for watching later on the I-player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porthesia Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 I have just watched the BBC interview with Mathew Bourne and the snippets of the ballet. It looks absolutely amazing and I'm now off to Google their tour dates, I just have to see this! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 Can't wait to see it now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted November 14, 2012 Author Share Posted November 14, 2012 Here's the link to the feature on breakfast news: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0113tqj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 When I was rummaging through copies of The Times in the library yesterday, it looked as though there was some feature on SB in Saturday's edition. Did anyone see it, and is it worth making an effort to get hold of? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitschqueen_1 Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 I'm going to see this tonight!! Even more excited now I've read that review Janet, thank-you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 When I was rummaging through copies of The Times in the library yesterday, it looked as though there was some feature on SB in Saturday's edition. Did anyone see it, and is it worth making an effort to get hold of? I kept it to read nearer the time as it does explain some unusual things about this production, Matthew Bourne visited Tchaikovsky's house at Klin and the vision scene was inspired by the view of the forest outside, no live orchestra, 2 acts of 57 and 47 minutes, no Prince but Aurora's boyfriend turned into a vampire by Count Lilac, for example! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted November 14, 2012 Author Share Posted November 14, 2012 I thought that to be turned into a vampire you had to drink another vampire's blood, not just have your own sucked. I just saw it as Count Lilac putting him to sleep. KQ - I hope you enjoy it as much as I did - please let us know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitschqueen_1 Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 Well, I went to see Sleeping Beauty last night and here goes with my first ever critique for ballet.co. It is only my own personal and humble opinion and I am not as articulate as many others on here! :-) I totally agree with Janet that the sets, lighting and costumes are absolutely spectacular and baby Aurora is pure genius. There are some very clever, funny and unexpected moments throughout the piece and it is visually stunning. However I did feel it was slightly disjointed. The only reference to the final act being in 2011 (apart from it being emblazoned across the curtain) was a few dancers strolling across the stage in hoodies and using mobile phones. It then, in my opinion returned to the dark Gothic influences of the first Act. I found there was not enough going on at the garden party in the second Act to keep me fully engaged until the appearance of Caradoc. I personally prefer David Nixon's interpretation of an Edwardian lakeside party in Northern Ballet's Swan Lake. However, I also enjoyed the duet between Aurora and Leo to the music of the Rose Adagio. Adam Maskell was dancing Carabosse/Caradoc last night and he was both menacing and charasmatic in equal measures. He commanded attention the whole time he was on stage. Ashley Shaw as Aurora was absolutely beautiful and had a fragile, ethereal quality to her dancing. In fact all the principal dancers and the fairies gave great performances. I was slightly disappointed in the group dance sequences, it was not as tight as it could have been and I found the choreography quite safe and a little dull if I'm totally honest! Having said all that it was a great night of theatre danced to an appreciative audience in a full house at The Lowry. I think one of the reasons why I personally was not totally bowled over by it is that last Friday evening I had the utter privilige of paying £1.00 to stand and watch the James Wilton Dance Company at the Riley Theatre in Leeds. The choreography in the 3 pieces performed was powerful, dynamic and innovative and like nothing I had seen before. The standard of dancing from James Wilton and Sarah Jane Taylor in particular was absolutely jaw dropping! With no props, no costumes, no gimmicks and 4 dancers it was the most exciting hour of dance I have ever watched. Move over Matthew Bourne I think James Wilton is the future! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Q Fan Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 Thanks for the review Janet can't wait - I had to cancel the Lowry due to being away but will def get Liverpool Empire booked! It sounds like we're in for a real treat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted November 18, 2012 Author Share Posted November 18, 2012 I've picked up a report from Channel 4 news about Sleeping Beauty. I found it fascinating watching the rehearsal footage and matching it to the performance: http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid601325122001?bckey=AQ~~%2CAAAAAEabvr4~%2CWtd2HT-p_Vh4qBcIZDrvZlvNCU8nxccG&bclid=0&bctid=1975568064001 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 My sister has pointed out that there's a 3-page article on the production in today's Daily Telegraph magazine. Sometimes these things appear online, sometimes they don't - I'll try and have a look later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Alison: No sign of anything on the Telegraph thus far. I've found that there's little consistency about when articles in the Sunday SEVEN magazine appear online, and I'm sure I've seen things posted from the Friday before to as far as the Wednesday afterwards. The Saturday magazine may be similarly unpredictable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 I seem to remember it was, Ian. Some things may have come up to a week later. I don't know any specific way of narrowing down the search to the magazine content, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 The Sadler's Wells run opened on Tuesday night - and still no reviews in the London papers, by the looks of things. Strange? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted December 7, 2012 Author Share Posted December 7, 2012 Have any of our Forum members been to see this production at the Wells yet? Please share your thoughts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 I'd assume it wasn't the press night: probably giving it a few more nights to run in, despite the fact that it's already previewed in several other venues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane S Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 The press night is tonight, I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Jane: Indeed, it would appear to have been - with two very different reviews from Judith Mackrell and Ismene Brown in this morning's Links, I see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 I saw last night's, it appears it was the press night and it was a great performance, but it will take another viewing to really get into, for a start I'm not exactly sure who I saw, the programme lists 2 or 3 casts for the major roles and no cast list was available, maybe there's one online? Also there's no synopsis, the only time I've needed one for Sleeping Beauty and I was rather confused. Some of the costumes and designs are fabulous, Act 2 being a highlight, and it looks as if Matthew Bourne just might have been a little inspired by Petipa, there seems to be more actual ballet dancing than usual, looking forward to seeing it again when I know more about it, if anyone else did go last night and knows the casting I'd be grateful, Count Lilac and Caradoc in particular were brilliant and seemed to get the most applause. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnross Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 (edited) We were only given two extracts at yesterday afternoon's photocall as seen in the preceding post they were performing last night. From Act 1: The Fairies Visit Baby Aurora and from Act 3 The Bedroom Duet to end of Act. Here are a couple of pictures to mark the occasion. The animated Baby Aurora was very well done. Joe Walkling as Autumnus the Fairy of Plenty and Mari Kamata as Ardor the Fairy of Passion with Baby Aurora Ben Bunce as Caradoc and sleeping Aurora - Hannah Vassallo More pictures on www.johnrossballetgallery.co.uk Edited December 8, 2012 by johnross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Copying this in from the Christmas TV thread: Just noticed that next Tuesday 18th December BBC1 has an Imagine documentary with Alan Yentob about the creation of Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty, 10.35-11.35pm, sounds very interesting, possibly the only new ballet programme, apart from the Vienna New Year Gala. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted December 30, 2012 Author Share Posted December 30, 2012 Matthew Bourne's Facebook page and twitter account have posted a link to his Christmas special that has been loaded onto Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4mBW0Iqb4kg#! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy Kent Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 re: Cast List . In the foyer at Sadlers Wells, on the ground floor, near the ice cream stall at the back, there is a large white board giving the casting for that performance...it would help if this was shown on the other levels of the theatre too. I went for the second time last night and really enjoyed the show.I love the Lez Brotherston designs and the more balletic style of dancing, the fairies in particular, and the pdd for Aurora and her gardener 'prince' is very nice at the end. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 Thanks, I'm going a second time in 3 weeks and really want to know which dancers I'll be seeing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 Just back from tonight's storming performance at Sadler's Wells - a supremely well-wrought piece of theatre. If you can make it before 26 January, just go!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletomane Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 Just back from tonight's storming performance at Sadler's Wells - a supremely well-wrought piece of theatre. If you can make it before 26 January, just go!! I too attended this evenings performance and fully concur with this. My only criticism is the lack of live music which renders the whole evening rather two dimensional. A fantastic theatrical experience though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Drat, Ian, if I'd known you were there last night I'd have looked out for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 (edited) From what age do you think it suitable for children? Edited for typo Edited January 3, 2013 by Pas de Quatre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Well, there were a few what looked like 5- or 6-year-olds there the other night: I'd reckon it probably went over their heads. I might even suggest double figures (do bear in mind the vampiric aspects and everything). But I don't have much experience in taking children to the ballet, so possibly others might give you a better idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 3, 2013 Author Share Posted January 3, 2013 I think it's supposed to be a family friendly show but I would say 7-8 for the absolute minimum. I thought the vampire aspects were minimal and I usually find children are less scared than adults! It is a real spectacle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 It is because some of my pupils parents have asked - playing on the safe side I suggested around 12 or 13. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now